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| Friday 12th April 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the return of the drake King Eider to
Aberdeenshire; seen first on the Ythan Estuary then later at Blackdog. Presumably
it is the same individual that has frequented this coast between March and June every year since 2010. Other rarities comprised the Pied-billed Grebe still in Somertset, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway, Little Bunting in County Durham, single Lesser Scaups in Clyde, Cornwall, Gwent, Herefordshire and Lincolnshire, and the count of White-billed Divers off Lewis, Western Isles, reached seven. Otherwise, the Pallas's Warbler remained in Berkshire, as did the American Wigeon in Devon and the Black Brant in Cumbria, with new arrivals including a Ring-necked Duck in Derbyshire, Ring-billed Gull in Somerset and Green-winged Teal in London. Migrant totals from across Britain included 62 Ring Ouzels, 31 Black Redstarts, 26 Garganey and 14 Firecrests. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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Daily news summaries
Catch up with RBA's daily birdnews summaries. Browse ten days at a time, or choose a date to read summaries from that day backwards.
Daily summaries are available from 13 April 2006. For earlier weekly reviews, visit our articles.
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| Thursday 11th April 2013 | ||
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| A Black Kite was seen in Suffolk flying north over Bramfield. A new
White-billed Diver was off Port Skigersta, Lewis, Western Isles whilst the
new White-billed Diver in Gruinard Bay, Highland was the third found by
the same observer in three days.
Lingering rarities included the Harlequin Duck on the Western Isles, American Coot in County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Little Bunting in County Durham, Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire, Red-breasted Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and single Lesser Scaups in Lincolnshire, Cornwall, Cleveland and Herefordshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 10th April 2013 | ||
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| Another White-billed Diver near Gairloch, Highland was the only new
rarity found today, whilst late news was released of a Red-flanked Bluetail
in Norfolk, at Burnham Overy last Sunday.
Lingering rarities still present today included the Harlequin Duck and two White-billed Divers on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Little Bunting in County Durham, two Penduline Tits in Kent, Red-breasted Goose and Richardson's Canada Goose in Dumfries and Galloway and single Lesser Scaups in Gwent, Glamorgan, Clyde, Lincolnshire and Cornwall. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Tuesday 9th April 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of a White-billed Diver in Highland at
Gairloch. Rarities elsewhere comprised the Red-breasted Goose still in Dumfries and Galloway,
Little Bunting in County Durham, and single Lesser Scaups in both Cornwall and Herefordshire. Scarce migrants included Hoopoe (Cornwall), Kentish Plover (East Sussex), Pallas's Warbler (Berkshire), Surf Scoter (Lothian), Rough-legged Buzzard (Shetland Isles), Temminck's Stint (four together in Kent), Rose-coloured Starling and American Wigeon (both in Devon). Otherwise, across-Britain migrant totals included 26 Garganey, 36 Firecrests, 56 Ring Ouzels and 59 Black Redstarts. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Monday 8th April 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the reappearance of the Killdeer in Lancashire at Alston Wetland, albeit only present there briefly. Elsewhere, a
Black Kite flew over Brighton, East Sussex, a new White-billed Diver
was found on Lewis, Western Isles, Little Bunting reappeared in County Durham at Houghton-le-Spring, as did the
King Eider on Fetlar, Shetland Isles. Lingering rarities confirmed as still present included the American Coot in County Galway, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Northern Harrier in County Wexford, White-billed Diver on the Orkney Isles, Glossy Ibis in West Sussex, and single Lesser Scaups in Cleveland, Cornwall, Gwent and Herefordshire. Scarcities included Pallas's Warbler in Berkshire, Kentish Plover and three Temminck's Stints in Kent, Rose-coloured Starling and American Wigeon in Devon, and a Ring-billed Gull in London. |
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| - Chris Batty, RBA | ||
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| Sunday 7th April 2013 | ||
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| The highlight of the day was the discovery of Lancashire's first ever
Killdeer at Alston Reservoirs, Longridge, present for a couple of hours from
mid morning. Typically mobile, it flew off once, only to reappear a short while
later, before doing the same, but not returning. Astonishingly, it was found by
the same observer who found what may have been the same individual in County
Donegal on 29th March, which was also a county first.
Lingering rarities included the Pied-billed Grebe at Ham Wall RSPB, Somerset, Lesser Yellowlegs at Ernesettle, Devon, White-billed Diver off Herston, Orkney, Long-billed Dowitcher and Glossy Ibises at Dale and Marloes, Pembrokeshire, Ferruginous Duck at Otmoor RSPB, Oxfordshire and single Lesser Scaups at Cosmeston Lakes, Glamorgan, Tredegar, Gwent, Siblyback Lake, Cornwall, Freiston Shore RSPB, Lincolnshire, Saltholme RSPB, Cleveland and Wellington GPs, Herefordshire. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Saturday 6th April 2013 | ||
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| A Red-breasted Goose flew past Oare Marshes NR and Margate, both Kent
with Dark-bellied Brent Geese mid morning.
Elsewhere, lingering rarities comprised the Harlequin Duck and Richardson's Canada Goose on the Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Penduline Tit in Kent, Long-billed Dowitcher and Glossy Ibis in Pembrokeshire (with another of the latter in Sussex), Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Bonaparte's Gull in Highland, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire and single Lesser Scaups in Cornwall, Gwent, Glamorgan, Herefordshire, Lincolnshire and Cleveland. |
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| - Will Soar, RBA | ||
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| Friday 5th April 2013 | ||
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| Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck and White-billed Diver
in Western Isles, Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, Long-billed Dowitcher in Pembrokeshire,
Penduline Tit in Kent, Lesser Yellowlegs in Devon, Lesser Scaups in Gwent, Cleveland,
Lincolnshire and Cornwall, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire and American Coot in Co Galway.
The best of the scarcities were the Rose-coloured Starling in Devon and White-spotted Bluethroats in Dorset, Isles of Scilly and Isle of Wight. |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Thursday 4th April 2013 | ||
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| Today's headline rarities were the Harlequin Duck on Western Isles and
Pied-billed Grebe in Somerset, whilst the Lesser Scaups in Gwent,
Cornwall and Cleveland, Ferruginous Duck in Oxfordshire, Red-breasted Goose in Hampshire, Lesser
Yellowlegs in Devon and Black Duck in Co Mayo also lingered.
The best of the rest included Rose-coloured Starling (Devon), Kentish Plover (East Sussex) and White-spotted Bluethroat (Dorset). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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| Wednesday 3rd April 2013 | ||
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| New discoveries comprised a Lesser Scaup in Cleveland and a Lesser
Yellowlegs in Co Dublin. Lingering rarities included Harlequin Duck
(Western Isles), Penduline Tit (Kent), Long-billed Dowitcher
(Lincolnshire), Lesser Yellowlegs (Devon), Lesser Scaup
(Lincolnshire, Gwent, Glamorgan and Cornwall), Pied-billed Grebe
(Somerset) and Red-breasted Goose (Hampshire).
Sightings of scarcities included Common Rosefinch (Dorset), White-spotted Bluethroat (Kent, Dorset, Isle of Wight) and Kentish Plover (East Sussex). |
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| - Stuart Piner, RBA | ||
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